The easing of Covid-19 restrictions by President Akufo-Addo and the take-off of the free water services for domestic consumption for the next three months are some of the leading stories in Ghanaian newspapers on Monday.
The Graphic reports that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced further easing of COVID-19 restrictions covering congregational worshipping, entertainment sites, transport operations and football activities.
In his 14th address on update on the national response to the pandemic last night, the President said life could not be put on hold indefinitely once it was clear that until treatment was found, the COVID-19 would remain a part of the life of the people.
On congregational worshipping, he said that the decision was based on the high level of compliance with the safety protocols demonstrated by the religious bodies.
“I am, therefore, very happy to announce that, in consultation with our church leaders, from 1st August, 2020, the restrictions on the number of congregants worshipping at a time in church will be lifted, with the length of worship extended from one to two hours per service,” he said.
The newspaper says that Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has started implementing the President’s directive on free water services for domestic consumption for the next three months.
The company has, consequently, asked all landlords to allow tenants to use water for free from July to September this year.
The Head of Public Relations at the GWCL, Mr. Stanley Martey, who disclosed this to the newspaper yesterday, urged members of the public and water customers to desist from mounting standpipes or connecting water without recourse to the company.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government absorbed water bills for all citizens between April and June 2020.
The Times reports that Ghana has missed its June, 2020 import revenue target at the Tema Port by recording a shortfall of 45.02 percent, according to the monthly revenue performance report compiled by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs Division.
The report released earlier this month, revealed that for the month of June 2020, the revenue target at the Tema port was GH¢1, 006,880,000.00, but the total revenue raised was only GH¢553, 566,898.06, representing a shortfall of GH¢453, 313,101.94.
The breakdown of the variance for the month under review, explained that for import duty for instance, the actual revenue target was GH¢528, 480,000.00, but the actual figure collected was just GH¢288,954,906.99, meaning there was a variance of GH¢239,525,093.01.
For import VAT, the revenue target was GH¢347, 740,000.00, but the actual revenue collected was GH¢190, 969,135.99, representing a reduction of GH¢159, 770,864.01.
The newspaper says that the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Park Agrotech Ghana Limited, to ensure the cultivation of enhanced sugarcane for full scale sugar production for the Komenda Sugar Factory in the Central Region.
The Vice Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Joseph Ghartey-Ampiah, appended his signature on behalf of the university, while the Managing Director of Agrotech Ghana Limited, Lalit Mishra, signed for the company.
Mr. Mishra said that the agreement was a start towards a brighter future and indicated that, the company would invest about $21 million into the factory for the four-year period.
He noted that, the deal with UCC was very crucial as the company required quality planting material to produce sugarcane to feed the factory.
The Times also reports that the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former President John Dramani Mahama, will today formally present his running mate, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang in Accra.
“The formal presentation of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang will allow her to make her maiden policy statement since her announcement as running mate,” a statement issued by James Agyenim-Boateng, the NDC campaign spokesperson, said on Saturday.
The former Minister of Education and first female Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) was announced as running mate to Mahama on July 6.
According to the statement, the outdooring ceremony will be restricted to about 100 people drawn from a wide range of groups in line with the COVID-19 protocols.
GIK/APA